How Not to Sell

Posted on August 15, 2008

Trigger Warning

I’ve seen some appalling advertising over the years, but the ad campaign Wrangler is currently running in France takes the prize for being just about the most tasteless, sick and twisted advertising, in the history of the world, ever.

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O I can just imagine the justifications, excuses and denials for this latest piece of misogynstic advertising. Of course it is just ‘ironic’ and not in the least promoting or normalising male violence against women. Did I say male violence against women – why it does not happen ever. So to those who think this image is ‘harmless fun’ try replacing this image with that of a half-naked man. Would it then be ‘harmless irony?’

Hey, you guys have been so fast to complain about this ad that you havent even bothered to look at the ads and understand them.

It has nothing to do with male violence against women, it is simply a nod towards the fact that we are all, as human beings, animals! The two images are putting humans in situations that you do not expect to see them in – i.e. roadkill or stuck in an oil slick.

Now if you think this is sick from that point of view then fair enough – i think it is unecessarily shocking imagery – but at least try to understand the ad before you condemn it!

Looking like a young, hungry, tough, animal is one thing. Looking like a corpse is quite another. Yes, death is part of the life cycle, but everyone knows that a young, beautiful corpse floating in water means that, probably someone murdered them. Wrangler know it, we know it. That’s great. Wrangler Jeans hopes you get murdered in these jeans, or at the very least, tragically killed. So tasteful.

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